Listen to the entire conversation by Steve leading up to your quote.
Steve said that for a new category of devices to exist between smart phones and laptops, it would have to do certain key tasks better than the two. Those tasks being browsing the internet, email, displaying and sharing photos, enjoying music collection, playing games, and eBooks. He then goes onto say that some think that the answer is a netbook, and then goes on to your quote. He explains though that netbooks are generally slow with cheap displays and clunky software. In effect, the netbook is not a new category of product between smart phones and laptop, but is rather a cheap laptop, which is accurate and proves his position.
Your list is inconsequential because you are comparing a laptop to a new category of product. Since you posted it, let's go ahead and discuss it and see how it relates to Steve's point.
I'm going to dissect you're subjective rebuttals as bluntly and clearly as possible, there is so much wrong with this kind of logic it makes my eyes bleed just reading this type of nonsense.
Before I begin, you really make it evident that you force yourself into omitting BASIC advantages and BASIC STANDARDS of general software experience, for the sole reason of owning such a crippled iPad, it reeks of blatant bias.
1.) Physical Keyboard
OF course a laptop has one. The iPad is new breed of tablet and no need for physical input. The work done on this device will not warrant it and is silly to include on the list. If you want one, you can attach a
bluetooth one or the dock.
One of the main selling points of the release in terms of the available applications was iWorks (which imo, is a very dodgy alternative to ms word as opening files from standard editions of ms word of file from iWorks does not guarantee full compatibility of formatting). This, along with the fact that the tablet DOES require some kind of textual input, warrants a valid 'con' to the ever-growing list of limitations/annoyances of the iPad. Now, I have yet to see an accurate touch screen (i've really tried to get used to the iphones, but spelling mistakes come up far too often), one that allows me to quickly type on the input, something on par or at least close to a physical keyboard. The fact that the onscreen keyboard does not behave like a real keyboard or contain all the characters as it requires switching modes, is another downfall.
This is a workaround, clearly, and while the iphones sales success has proven people either like it are willing to put up with it (i hate it), is another thing to think about. As youve noticed (hopefully) from reading other blogs, people want physical keyboards in their devices. I shouldnt have to explain why, its quite obvious. I own a Nokia E71 Smartphone, i type way faster on it than anyone with an iPhone. The same will hold true for the iPad compared to a tactile keyboard in similar size.
2.) Widescreen
Widescreen in a laptop makes sense. In a handheld device, not so much. The iPad would be too damn skinny and wouldn't be optimized for the plethora of other things the device does, all which require screen real estate.
Hand held not so much? More like, not at all, as almost ALL touch based, slider and other smartphones (and none smartphones alike) are being pumped out with widescreen aspect ratio. The fact that you mention it would be problematic as it wouldnt be optimized for other things the iPad does shows that it really is just an inflated iPhone. Then again, I think many of us would welcome a widescreen tablet, though this is purely a subjective outlook on your part (mine as well) so it has no baring in this discussion. For laptops, widescreen as you mentioned makes sense, though in my opinion, why would it not to continue the same treatment to a touchscreen only laptop.
3.) Webcam
I think maybe the angle is an issue. This I will concede because I can see the value in a webcam.
Lack of webcam is a big hurt.
4.) Card Reader
There is an
adapter for that
That doesnt make the iPad any more portable, this same problem came up with the macbook air; so many things were tossed out at the expense of making it slim when at the end of the day the physical dimensions that matter (length and width) were still the same.
5.) USB, LAN, expansion ports
Again, this isn't supposed to be a laptop. It is supposed to be a standalone device. LAN negates its point, and there is a
USB adapter for that when needed.
The iPad requires wifi, basically, unless its the 3G version. For the record, i didnt make the image of the comparison, i pulled it off facebook. Either way, its just another nail in the coffin for the iPad, the list of cons is impressive.
6.) Removable Battery
10 hours+ of battery life is more than enough for most people.
Apple has the worst history with battery life ratings. You know, I remember when I first bought an iPod. It was rated at a vague '8 hours or more' Well, whats more? 5 hours more? 50 hours? 5 minutes? The battery eventually crapped out on me, lasting me 20-30 minutes before a recharge was necessary and when that wasnt enough, the hard drive failed.
I've since taken apple's battery life claims with a grain of salt. Its done me good.
However, 10 hours is enough for most people? Like I said, before I got my iPod, I thought 8 hours was enough. Clearly not. 10 hours for a portable device isnt much. This thing, as much simplicity it screams it offers, should last much longer. I'm sure the screen does the most damage in terms of draining the battery life, especially being an IPS panel. Regardless, to assume that consumers will be pleased with 10 hours is pure speculation and irrational judgement.
7.)Flash Support
I won't be baited into a flash/no flash argument here. However, Apple's position is that omitting a proprietary plugin that routinely crashes the browser and hogs resources in OS X makes for a better browsing experience. Before giving me a cute photo with a bunch of blue symbols, check
this one out too.
Well, from your brief rant about flash being such a negative aspect of the web world, its easy to see you agree with big brother. Doesnt matter, both of you, along with the rest of the occult can scream bloody murder about flash being bollocks, it doesnt matter: ITS REQUIRED ON A HUGE NUMBER OF WEBSITES. Jobs really did himself well when he went across the New York Times website during his keynote. That is clearly NOT 'the best experience'.
8.) Video Out
This
supports Apple composite and component out cables.
Thats where the image does stand corrected.
9.) Open platform
It is Apple's position that acting as the intermediary allows for a more stable experience for users and a sound distribution method for devs. Looks at income stats for iPhone devs vs. Android or Microsoft.
This is where I don't buy any of this drivel about it being beneficial to the user. How? Restrictions are never good for the consumer, not unless you just blindly believe whatever big brother tells you. Steve Jobs may want to keep everything tight, but he's way off, mainly because hes limiting his consumer and market reach. Thats why youre going to see people switching to android and windows, because those devices allow them some freedoms.
10.) Multitasking
The final product isn't confirmed, but even if it just as it is on the iPhone, most multitasking isn't needed as background processes. Quick app switching works fine. I will concede the ever popular pandora example, but given that the iPod app will likely still be able to run in the background, who cares?
Multitasking is clearly a massive FAILURE on apples part. If this device is supposed to be a middle ground between phones and notebooks......why in the hell is the user experience EXACTLY the same as it is on the iphone? There is NOTHING that sets it apart other than the size of the screen.
Opinions on this matter need to stay out, multitasking being overlooked is a clear sign of fanboyism.
11.) Storage
Yet again, this is a new type of device, not a laptop. For most people 16GB works fine for the purpose of this device.
Youre right, it probably will be, I mean, with all its limitations and small scale applications, iPhone OS (no real OS as I was expecting) this thing has little purpose to offer great expansion, not unless you want to load music and videos onto this thing. Videos I could understand, its an acceptable screen size, but why 16+ gb of music on an iPad, its not really intended for being media device, its a jack of all trades, master of none.
12.) Touch screen
This should be expanded to note the amazing multitouch technology that Apple has. This alone is one of the biggest reasons that Jobs claims the iPad works as a new category of device doing things better than a smart phone or a laptop. The way in which users interact with the iPad, i.e. with the internet, email, photos, music, games, ebooks, and any other applications is the point Steve is trying to make.
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Multitouch is of course an obvious requirement for touchscreens now. And while it has no tactile keyboard, it also obviously needs it. I wonder though, how often do people actually use the screen in 'multi' touch form apart from zooming in and out of images, maps, etc.
Too many apple fanboys are glorifying an apple product without realizing what theyre missing out on. This in my opinion is undisputable, no other brand has these kinds of faithful consumers. It really is a sad sight to see people blindly praising a PRODUCT. Would be better if they did so with rational thinking at LEAST, or better yet, that and praising a figure like Gandhi. But this........IS A PRODUCT, its not a girlfriend.
) Courier style product in the background. But if so, it will orphan the iPad when it comes out. But like you say, by then the iPad will be the bargain basement product, maybe even like one of those kiddy computers.
could not include a built-in one. Come on, an adapter for this luxury. 
